Perennials; (caudex simple, covered with persistent petiolar remains); (glaucous), glabrous throughout. Stems erect, un-branched or branched distally, (2.5-)4-12(-14) dm. Basal leaves: petiole 2-10(-16) cm; blade lanceolate to oblanceolate or ovate, (2.2-)5-18(-22) cm × 10-40(-60) mm, margins often entire, sometimes dentate, rarely lyrate-pinnatifid. Cauline leaves sessile; blade lanceolate, (2-)3.5-8.5(-11) cm × (2-)5-19(-28) mm (smaller distally, base auriculate to sagittate), margins entire. Racemes loose. Fruiting pedicels horizontal to divaricate-ascending, 4-9(-12) mm. Flowers: sepals oblong-linear, 12-18 mm; petals whitish to lemon yellow, narrowly oblanceolate, 13-20 × 1-3 mm, claw 7-11 mm, (nearly linear-lanceolate), slightly wider at base, (margins usually erose, rarely subentire and crisped); filaments 11-20 mm; anthers 3.5-6 mm; gynophore (6-)11-22(-25) mm. Fruits divaricate or descending, curved inward, (torulose), subterete, 3-6 (-7) cm × 1.2-2 mm; ovules 28-50 per ovary; style 0.04-0.3 mm. Seeds oblong, 2-3 × 1-1.2 mm. 2n = 28.

Flowering May-Jul. Sagebrush and pinyon-juniper communities, limestone shale and rocks, red sandstone slopes, volcanic rocky slopes, clay knolls, steep bluffs; 1300-2700 m; Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wyo.

Stanleya collina M. E. Jones is an illegitimate name that pertains to S. viridiflora.